Thejaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi);/ˌdʒæɡwəˈrʌndi/ or/ˌʒæɡwəˈrʌndi/ is a wildcat native to theAmericas. Its range extends from centralArgentina in the south tonorthern Mexico, throughCentral andSouth America east of theAndes. The jaguarundi is a medium-sized cat of slender build. Its coloration is uniform with two colormorphs, gray and red. It has an elongated body, with relatively short legs, a small, narrow head, small, round ears, a shortsnout, and a long tail, resemblingmustelids in these respects. It is about twice as large as adomestic cat (Felis catus), reaching nearly 360 mm (14 in) at the shoulder, and weighs 3.5–7 kg (7.7–15.4 lb).
Secretive and alert, the jaguarundi is typically solitary or forms pairs in the wild; however, captive individuals are more gregarious. Unlike othersympatric cats such as theocelot, the jaguarundi ismore active during the day and hunts mainly during daytime and evening hours. Individuals live in largehome ranges, and are sparsely distributed within a region. The jaguarundi is an efficient climber, but typically prefers hunting on ground. It feeds on various kinds of prey, especially ground-feeding birds, reptiles,rodents and small mammals. Mating occurs throughout the year, with peaks at different times of the year across the range. After agestation period of 70 to 75 days, a litter of one to four kittens is born. Lifespans of up to 15 years have been recorded in captivity.
The common name "jaguarundi" comes from theOld Guarani wordyaguarundi, similar to theOld Tupi wordyawaum'di, meaning "darkjaguar".[3] The name is pronounced/ˌʒæɡwəˈrʌndi/[4][5] or/ˌdʒæɡwəˈrʌndi/.[6] In someSpanish-speaking countries, the jaguarundi is also calledgato colorado,gato moro,león breñero,leoncillo andtigrillo.[1] It is also calledeyra,gato-mourisco,gato-preto,gato-vermelho andmaracajá-preto inBrazilian Portuguese.[7][8]
F. yagouaroundi melantho by Oldfield Thomas in 1914 were skulls and blackish brown skins of a male and a female fromPozuzo District in Peru.[17]
Thegeneric nameHerpailurus was proposed byNikolai Severtzov in 1858 for the jaguarundi.[18] Later authors classified the jaguarundi in the genusPuma along with thecougar (P. concolor).[2]Phylogeographical analysis of jaguarundi samples from across its range found no genetic evidence forsubspecies.[19] In 2017, theIUCN Cat Specialist Group revised felid taxonomy and recognises the jaguarundi as amonotypic taxon of the genusHerpailurus.[20]
ThePuma lineage of the familyFelidae, depicted along with closely related genera[21]
The jaguarundi is most closely related to the cougar; the jaguarundi-cougar clade issister to thecheetah.[22] These three species comprise thePuma lineage, one of the eight lineages of Felidae; thePuma lineagediverged from the rest6.7 million years ago. Thesister group of thePuma lineage is aclade of smallerOld World cats that includes the generaFelis,Otocolobus andPrionailurus.[21]
The three species of thePuma lineage may have had acommon ancestor during theMiocene, about8.25 million years ago.[23][24]Acinonyx possibly diverged from the lineage in the Americas;[25][26][27] some authors alternatively suggest that the cheetah diverged in the Old World.[28][29]
ThePuma lineage appears to have migrated from Asia to North America after crossing theBering Strait, arriving in South America via theIsthmus of Panama by theLate Pliocene orEarly Pleistocene. This was possibly followed by the bifurcation of the lineage into the cougar andHerpailurus (represented byH. pumoides) in South America around4 to 3 million years ago between the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene.H. pumoides went extinct aroundMiddle Pleistocene, around the time the modern jaguarundi came into existence; the oldest fossils of the modern jaguarundi date back to theLate Pleistocene in Brazil around0.5 million years ago. The original North American cougars were extirpated during thePleistocene extinctions around 10,000 years ago; North America was then recolonized by South American cougars and jaguarundis 10,000–8,000 years ago.[30][31][32] The extinct North American genusMiracinonyx is another member of this clade.[33]
The jaguarundi is a medium-sized cat of slender build and uniform coloration that differs significantly from otherneotropical cats—such as the small, spotted cats in the genusLeopardus—in its external appearance. This has been attributed to variations in itskaryotype—the jaguarundi has 38chromosomes, unlike the 36 in other small South American cats, and the chromosomal features resemble those of Old World cats such as theleopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis).[34] In fact, the jaguarundi shows several features seen inmustelids such asotters andweasels—it has an elongated body with relatively short legs, a small, narrow head, small, round ears, a shortsnout and a long tail.[34][35][30][36] The head-and-body length is between 53 and 77 cm (21 and 30 in); the strong, muscular tail is 31–52 cm (12–20 in) long. Around twice as large as thedomestic cat, the jaguarundi reaches nearly 36 cm (14 in) at the shoulder and weighs 3.5–7 kg (7.7–15.4 lb), though larger individuals weighing around 9 kg (20 lb) have been reported.[34][37] Males are slightly larger than females.[30]
The coat is uniformly colored with at most a few faint markings on the face and the belly, though kittens are spotted for a short duration. Black and white marks on the lips and the snout, similar to those of the cougar, can be clearly seen in juveniles and some adults. Two colormorphs are known (though intermediate shades are also seen)—gray (blackish to brownish-gray fur with a grizzled look due to bright and dark rings on individual hairs) and red (foxy red to chestnut); earlier these morphs were considered two different species. Individuals of both colors can be born in the same litter.[34][38] Blackish brown individuals superficially resemble thetayra (Eira barbara), but the latter can be told apart by the clear, yellowish patch on the throat.[10] The red morph is seen more often in dry, open areas.Melanistic individuals have been reported, but the coat is not completely black; the head and the throat are clearly paler than the rest of the body.[35] The widely spaced ears are 2.5–4 cm (0.98–1.57 in) long without any spots on the back.[34][39] The jaguarundi has a total of 30 teeth; thedental formula is3.1.3.13.1.2.1.[30]
Among felids, the jaguarundi is closely similar to theflat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps), but has a longer body and proportionately longer legs, is heavier and lacks the dark markings on the cheeks of the flat-headed cat.[10] Tawny jaguarundis bear a similar coloration to the larger cougar.[35]
The diploid number of chromosomes in jaguarundi is 2n=38.[40]
The jaguarundi inhabits a wide variety of habitats, from tropical rainforests anddeciduous forests to deserts andthorn scrubs. It can also be found incloud forests,mangroves andsavannas.[1][39] Unlike thesympatricmargay,ocelot andoncilla, the jaguarundi can live in open areas as well. In open habitats the jaguarundi prefers areas with vegetative cover such as cacti, which would generally be difficult for potential predators to penetrate; there may be a few clearings at the periphery of such areas. Jaguarundis tend to stay close to a source of running water.[34][37][41] The jaguarundi is noted for its resistance to environmental disturbances in its habitat; it can thrive in reforested areas.[39] While commonly inhabiting elevations from lowlands up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft), this cat has been reported at elevations as high as 3,200 m (10,500 ft) inColombia.[1]
The range extends from central Argentina in the south to northern Mexico, through Central and South America east of the Andes, second only to the cougar among cats in thelatitudinal extent of its distribution. However, not all parts of its range have been studied well. The jaguarundi is fairly common in Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela.[42] It is possiblyextirpated in the United States;[1] a 1999 study refuted claims of sightings inArizona, in theHuachuca Mountains inSanta Cruz County.[43] The last specimen collected in the U.S. was aroadkill nearBrownsville, Texas, in 1986.[42] In 1994, the jaguarundi was thought to be represented in thelower Rio Grande Valley by no more than 15 individuals, and its survival there was doubtful.[44] It was declared extinct in Texas in 2025,[45] but is thought to still be present inSanta Ana National Wildlife Refuge.[46]
Jaguarundis have been sighted inFlorida since the early 20th century. Their presence there is attributed to a writer fromChiefland who at some point imported the animals from their native habitat and released them near his hometown and in other locations across the state. While no physical evidence is known, numerous credible sightings have been reported beginning in 1907. In 1977,W. T. Neill noted that reliable sightings had decreased and concluded that the population had declined. Jaguarundis have also been reported in the coastal area ofAlabama since the 1980s, which may be evidence of the Florida population migrating northward.[47] The jaguarundi has also been recorded inCerro Largo inUruguay, where its presence was doubted.[48]
Jaguarundis are good climbers and can easily walk on branches.
The jaguarundi is shy and reclusive, and apparently very cautious oftraps.[47] There have been only a fewradio telemetry studies of jaguarundis inBelize, Brazil and Mexico.[35] Though activity has been observed throughout the day and at night, jaguarundis seem to prefer hunting during daytime and evening hours; for instance, a study in Belize reported that jaguarundis started moving before dawn and remained active through most of the day till sunset with a peak in hunting from late morning to noon.[10][49] The cat appears to be morediurnal than most other cats, especially spotted cats that tend to be more active at night.[36][34] The jaguarundi can swim across medium-sized rivers; one inBolivia was recorded swimming across theTuichi River.[35] Jaguarundis are efficient climbers as well, but hunt mainly on ground; the coat color works as a goodcamouflage for terrestrial activity.[36] They can leap up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) into the air to catch birds.[34] Predators recorded for jaguarundis includeboa constrictors, cougars anddomestic dogs.[35]Parasites such ashookworms (Ancylostoma species),tapeworms (such asSpirometra andToxocara species) and thelung fluke have been found in jaguarundis.[10]
Studies have mostly observed jaguarundis alone or in pairs; pairs could probably be formed between mothers and older kittens or between individuals of opposite sexes during the mating season. Individuals in captivity have been found to be more gregarious.[34]Home ranges tend to be large; a study in Brazil recorded home ranges 1.4–18 km2 (0.54–6.95 sq mi) in size for females, while those of males measured 8.5–25.3 km2 (3.3–9.8 sq mi) in area.[35] Two males in Belize were recorded to have exceptionally large home ranges spanning an area of 88 km2 (34 sq mi) and 100 km2 (39 sq mi), while the home range of a female in the same region measured 13–20 km2 (5.0–7.7 sq mi) in size.[36] Population densities are typically low, around 0.01 to 0.05/km2 (0.026 to 0.129/sq mi) in Brazil, thoughTamaulipas (Mexico) and the Llanos inCosta Rica and Venezuela have recorded figures as high as 0.2/km2 (0.52/sq mi).[30][50]
Marking behavior could serve as a means of olfactory or visual communication among jaguarundis; individuals in captivity have been observed scraping areas with their hind feet (sometimes with urination), clawing on logs,rubbing objects with their heads and leaving feces uncovered. Social behavior such asgrooming, growling and sniffing has been recorded. The jaguarundi has a broad vocal repertoire; 13 different calls have been recorded including chattering, purring, screaming, a 'wah-wah' call, whistling, yapping and a peculiar bird-like chirp. In captivity, females inestrus have been observed making faint sounds as theyscent mark the area around their enclosures.[34][10]
The jaguarundi typically feeds on small-sized prey weighing less than 1 kg (2.2 lb), including ground-feedingbirds,reptiles,frogs,arthropods,rodents and small mammals.[51] Jaguarundis will also take larger prey such as domestic poultry,fish,marmosets,rabbits andopossums; a study recorded smalldeer (possiblycarrion) in the diet. Vegetation such as grasses have also been recorded in their diet.[34][10][35][39] A study showed jaguarundis take 400 g (14 oz) ofvertebrate prey on an average every day.[10] The jaguarundi seems to have a strong preference for mammals, as evidenced by an analysis of 14 papers, where it was found that nearly two thirds of its diet comprised small mammals. In particular, rodents of the genusOryzomys,Sigmodon andZygodontomys were found to be the most targeted prey items in several range countries. These rodents made up the bulk of the jaguarundi's diet in Venezuela, theAtlantic forests, theCockscomb Basin and thesouthern Pacific dry forests. The second most targeted mammalian prey were mice belonging to the generaReithrodontomys,Peromyscus andLiomys. On rare occasions, jaguarundis have been recorded consuming larger mammals such as thecommon opossum andcommon tapeti.[52] The broad array of prey recorded for the jaguarundi across its range and varying proportions of different prey in its diet could indicate that the cat tends to feed on the most abundant and easily catchable prey in the area.[34]
Jaguarundis have been observed mating all year round, with peaks at different times of the year across the range; for instance, in Mexico breeding peaks in January and March. Estrus lasts three to five days, marked by the female regularly rolling onto her back andspraying urine.Sexually mature males will pursue the female, not reacting to any aggressive behavior from her side. As in many other felids, the male bites the fur on the female's neck on mounting; the female lets out a loud scream on penetration.[34][10]
After agestation period of 70 to 75 days, a litter of one to four kittens is born in a den constructed in a dense thicket, hollow tree, or similar cover. The kittens are covered well with fur and the underside is marked with spots, which disappear as they age; the coat color gradually changes as the kittens grow older.[34][39] The mother starts bringing solid food for the kittens when they are around three weeks old, but they simply play with it until the mother ultimately ingests it. Kittens are capable of taking solid food like birds andguinea pigs at around six weeks. Jaguarundis become sexually mature at one to three years of age. Lifespan up to 15 years has been recorded in captivity.[34][36]
The jaguarundi has been listed asLeast Concern on theIUCN Red List since 2002. Mexican populations, except those in the northeast, appear to be stable. The huge protected areas in theAmazon Basin are probably the only conservation units that can sustain long-termviable populations. IUCN Red List assessors noted that it should be listed asNear Threatened, but the data were not sufficient to extend this classification throughout the jaguarundi's range.[1] The jaguarundi is not particularly sought after for its fur due to its poor quality and low value, but it is suffering decline due to habitat loss.[36][37]
Hunting jaguarundi is restricted in Peru and banned in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica,French Guiana,Guatemala,Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay,Suriname, Uruguay, United States, and Venezuela.[1]
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^Brown, D.E.; González, C.A.L. (1999). "Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi Geoffroy 1803) not in Arizona or Sonora".Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science.32 (2):155–157.JSTOR40021308.
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